Racoon problems

[Jamie]

Ok I have a problem. I have a huge amount of raccoons eating all of my corn at one of my bait stations for deer along a creek bottom. I got 8 in one pic together. Looks like a couple big ones and a mother with a whole litter of small ones. I know last year I feed those things all year and now I have a full fledged family with Grandparent's and Grandkids.
I know I can shoot them or even trap them but really don't want to do that. I have some leg hold traps and could catch them easy with them but really don't want too do that either. I guess I'm getting soft in my older years and really don't kill anything without a purpose. I thought about buying a box trap and catching them and relocating them but was wonder if there were any other tricks someone might know to get them to move along. Any thoughts?

[Stompy]

What kind of bait station is it? Is it a timed feeder on legs?

[yetti462]

Live trap and give them to coon hunters for dog training.

[riverc]

Quit baiting the deer and the problem will go away.Sorry I just do not like baiting deer,to me it's not hunting.

[Ky-triton]

Quit baiting the deer and the problem will go away.Sorry I just do not like baiting deer,to me it's not hunting.

Baiting is not illegal evidently where the OP lives. Baiting does have some benefits for the other wildlife in the area. Is growing a foodplot any different to you?

[riverc]

Baiting is not illegal evidently where the OP lives. Baiting does have some benefits for the other wildlife in the area. Is growing a foodplot any different to you?

I do not grow food plots so wouldn't know.I scout and find deer sign and hunt.May not kill as many,but still do get some meat.

[yetti462]

I don't understand how you can shoot a deer over bait but not kill a disease carrying raccoon. Research how many diseases and parasites they host and you'll be killing all you see. Look up raccoon roundworm, makes death option easier.

[Chief Paduke]

Just let a coon hunter spend a few nights in your woods. He’s happy. You’re happy. .

[06 SB]

Growing up in PA, I never understood baiting deer but once I moved south and saw the conditions, I can see its utility.

You have a couple of choices, stop baiting the deer or shoot the raccoons.

[BARRY J]

Use soybeans in your feeder. Coons don't like soybeans.

[Jamie]

Thanks guys. I know a lot of people don't like putting out corn for deer and that is fine. But if you come to NC you will either bait them or you won't kill them unless you have a bunch of land. I grew up in WV and hunting land was available every where and no one used bait and had same negative view about baiting them as some of you but when I moved to NC the lot sizes are really small (5 to 10 acres) and it costs a arm and a leg to lease property so baiting is a good option. Its no different than hunting over a food plot, bean field, or corn field. There aint no forest or game lands around here.
As for the coons I think I will just catch them with leg traps.

[hse87]

Quit baiting the deer and the problem will go away.Sorry I just do not like baiting deer,to me it's not hunting.

Do you hunt over green fields? If so that is technically baiting. Hunting over anything that draws animals to a location seems like to me would be considered baiting. Although you are correct in saying quit feeding especially corn and problem solved. Live traps and relocate is op best solution.

[riverc]

Do you hunt over green fields? If so that is technically baiting. Hunting over anything that draws animals to a location seems like to me would be considered baiting. Although you are correct in saying quit feeding especially corn and problem solved. Live traps and relocate is op best solution.

No I don't hunt over green fields,I hunt a cutover that also has a section of hardwoods and a pipeline that runs along it,no planting or baiting.

[Ky-triton]

No I don't hunt over green fields,I hunt a cutover that also has a section of hardwoods and a pipeline that runs along it,no planting or baiting.

We try not to hunt deer in their bedding areas. Amazing how some think it is okay to find deer sign where deer are eating acorns or persimmons or whatever, but think it is wrong to plant clover or corn in a foodplot. Would it be okay to plant sawtooth oak trees and then hunt the deer when the trees start producing acorns in 8 years?

[riverc]

We try not to hunt deer in their bedding areas. Amazing how some think it is okay to find deer sign where deer are eating acorns or persimmons or whatever, but think it is wrong to plant clover or corn in a foodplot. Would it be okay to plant sawtooth oak trees and then hunt the deer when the trees start producing acorns in 8 years?

Lol....Hey not saying it's right or wrong....I said that I do not like to feed deer....See no need to spend money to feed them they have food to eat,our winters are not brutal here down south.

[jc1992]

Thanks guys. I know a lot of people don't like putting out corn for deer and that is fine. But if you come to NC you will either bait them or you won't kill them unless you have a bunch of land. I grew up in WV and hunting land was available every where and no one used bait and had same negative view about baiting them as some of you but when I moved to NC the lot sizes are really small (5 to 10 acres) and it costs a arm and a leg to lease property so baiting is a good option. Its no different than hunting over a food plot, bean field, or corn field. There aint no forest or game lands around here.
As for the coons I think I will just catch them with leg traps.

Could buy a thrower that has a built in shock cage. That’s worked great on my feeders from the squirrel and coons.

[Ky-triton]

Lol....Hey not saying it's right or wrong....I said that I do not like to feed deer....See no need to spend money to feed them they have food to eat,our winters are not brutal here down south.

I apologize. That sounded worse than I meant it to sound. I agree about “right and wrong”. That is the good part about hunting. As long as a practice is legal, it is up to the individual to decide what is right and wrong.

Personally, I don’t shoot does that have fawns with them, but I understand it is legal and the fawns will be perfectly fine. I also hate to watch guys shoot bears over bait with a bow. I don’t really care about if they hunt them that way. I just don’t want to do it or watch it. Lots of situations in the hunting and fishing game. Like catching fish on beds...

[brushsjigs]

You might give this a whirl.
Had a family of coons coming in the back yard getting under the bird feeder about dusk. I knew the time of their arrival. I hid behind a tree with 2 air canister air horns. Started blowing and chasing them. Scared the crap out of them. Told my son about it, he said they probably ran off and had a heart attach. That is a possibility but they have not been back.
It wont due squat for your deer hunting, but I bet it will rid you of the coon problems.

[wwc3]

Hav-A-Hart is your friend. Live trap those bandits and transport them MILES away .

[DeGraaf]

Hav-A-Hart is your friend. Live trap those bandits and transport them MILES away .

Check state law on relocation of wildlife, usually allowable within a certain proximity.